Our History

These years formed a watershed in the history of the school. The Principal and teachers who had come to Ceylon to fulfil the goals of Christian and colonising missions often had to leave with bewildering rapidity, due to ill health, inability to adapt to the tropical climate, and personal reasons. The connection with the Sisters of St. Margaret was then to afford the school important years of stability. St. Margaret’s was able to supply a long line of dedicated Principals who guided the school for an unbroken period of 60 years.

In 1892, Bishopsgate School moved from Darley Road to a property that was previously a cinnamon estate near Boyd Place. With this, there was also a change in the name of the school since it had moved out of the Bishop’s private residence, and was called Bishop’s College. The school had seventy pupils on the roll.

The Sisters played a pivotal role in inculcating the students and teachers of Bishops College, with the tenets of charity, community spirit and public service upheld by the motto of Bishop’s College itself Non Sibi Sed Omnibus –Not for Self but for All.

Changes came rapidly now in the development of the school to upgrade the education standards of the school. In many fields, the Sisters were ahead of their time. A decision was made that “No teacher may under any circumstance strike a pupil unless the Principal should find it necessary as a definite punishment, in which case it must be reported the same day to the parents of the child.” This was indeed a bold and innovative measure, progressive even by today’s standards when corporal punishment is not unknown in some schools.

Of particular historical interest, is that some past pupils of the school met and with the Bishop’s approval they founded the Past Pupils Association on December 5th 1896.

The building of a chapel on the school premises commenced in 1895, and in January 1900, the chapel was dedicated by the Bishop to St. Agnes, the Roman virgin and Martyr of the 4th century A.D.

The 20th century which had begun for Bishop’s College with 47 children on the roll, soon increased to 90 in 1906. Buildings too necessarily needed extension and expansion. Bishop’s College was now run on English Public School lines and became one of Ceylon’s leading girls’ schools. The book “20th Century Impressions of Ceylon” edited by Arnold Wright, published in 1907, refers to the school as “A high school, considered to be one of the best colleges in the island.”

In 1908 Sister Letitia arrived from England and took over as Principal. Her tenure was a long one of 16 years and gave the school firm direction and stability. During this period, the curriculum expanded rapidly, with First Aid classes called the Ambulance Class being conducted, Drill was introduced in 1896, Drama classes became a school fixture and playlets were performed at the prize giving becoming an annual feature. Funds were collected and a tennis court was built in 1913.

Although Bishop’s College was a Christian mission school with the explicit goal of upholding the values of the Church, it is quite evident that the Sisters’ of St. Margaret adopted a more pluralistic approach to religion. In 1909, the 100 or more students on the roll showed a diversity of nationality, race and religion – among the students were Sinhalese, Burgher, Tamil, Parsi and Moor students.

During the tenure of Sister Mary Kathleen’s stewardship as Principal of the school from 1933 – 1942, it was a period of steady and vigorous progress in all spheres of school activity. The expansion of the school took place with the purchase of Arncliffe – a large house adjoining Bishop’s College with two road frontages on Boyd Place and General’s Lake Road. This allowed the school to expand with living quarters for the Principal and other Sisters, resident teachers, dormitories for hostellers, bathrooms, toilets, sick room and a dispensary, in addition to the previous buildings which housed, the Principal’s office, staff room, classrooms, library, school hall, kindergarten, domestic science room, refectory, toilets, kitchen and staff quarters.

The concept of total education was actively nurtured. The focus on both academic excellence along with a wide range of extra-curricular activities meant that a student was encouraged to have a well-rounded experience of subjects. The medium of instruction was English, and along with English literature and English grammar, a second language of French, Sinhalese or Tamil was offered as subjects. History, Geography, Botany, Mathematics, Hygiene and Physiology, Mechanics, Art, Needlework and Domestic Science were featured in the curriculum. Popular non-academic activities included Swimming, Ballet, Singing, Netball, Tennis, Athletics, Guiding, and Drama among other activities. In 1933, it is recorded that Sister Mary Kathleen accompanied 12 senior girls on a school trip to Anuradhapura, Pollonnaruwa, Mihintale and Kalawewa, evidence of inculcating an appreciation of local history and culture.

Sister Mary Kathleen was well-loved, and there remain several letters of appreciation written in her honour, which speak of her vision and great devotion to the school and its pupils.